Diabetes Management Fees

Medicare and other third-party payers frequently cover the costs associated with diabetes self-management services. Physician referral and/or prescription is required. St. Joseph Medical Center has a program for uncompensated care. Please call 610-378-2276 or 610-378-2279 to talk to a financial counselor.

Listed below is a list of Medicare B covered services for people with diabetes. For all other insurances, simply call the 1-800 number on the back of your insurance card and ask what your Diabetes Self-Management Training and Medical Nutrition Therapy benefits are.

Diabetes Self-Management Training

If you have diabetes and your doctor says that you need diabetes self-management training and education, Medicare will cover 80% of the cost of these services after you pay your annual Part B deductible. You can get up to 10 hours of self-management training for your first year, and 2 hours every year thereafter. St. Joseph Medical Center’s Comprehensive Diabetes Program is accredited by the American Diabetes Association and is recognized by Medicare as an approved training program.

Medical Nutritional Therapy

Medical nutritional therapy, which may include diet counseling, is designed to help you learn to eat right so you can better manage your illness. With a doctor’s referral, Medicare will cover 80% of the cost of medical nutritional therapy for people with diabetes, chronic renal disease, or who are post-kidney-transplant patients, after you pay your annual Part B deductible. Medicare will generally cover 3 hours of medical nutritional therapy for the first year and 2 hours every year thereafter, although it will cover more hours if your doctor says you need them. In order to have them covered by Medicare, you must get these services from a registered dietitian or other qualified nutrition professional. Talk to your doctor if you think you qualify for this benefit.

Diabetes Supplies

Medicare will also pay 80% of the cost for certain diabetic supplies, such as glucose monitors, lancets, and test strips, after you pay your annual Part B deductible. You can get these benefits even if you don't use insulin. If you do use insulin, Medicare will not cover the cost of insulin or syringes.